Evaluation of anterior segment parameters with Pentacam in children with poorly-controlled type 1 Diabetes Mellitus without diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To determine the effect of abnormal glucose metabolism on the cornea, lens, anterior chamber volume (ACV), and anterior chamber depth (ACD) in children with poorly-controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) without diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: After the complete ophthalmologic examination of children with poorly-controlled (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] >7.0 %) type 1 DM without DR and age-matched healthy subjects (control group), the central corneal thickness (CCT), keratometry (K) values (Kmean front and back, and Kmax), radius (R) values (Rmin front and back), corneal volume (CV), ACD, ACV, pupil diameter, mean lens density (MLD), lens density standard deviation (LD SD), and maximum lens density (LD max) were measured using Pentacam High Resolution. Endothelial cell density was measured using a specular microscope. The results were assessed and compared between the two groups.

Results: There were 60 patients (38 boys and 22 girls) in the DM group and 30 (14 boys, 16 girls) in the control group. There were considerable differences between the groups in terms of CCT, CV, ACD, MLD, LD SD and LD max, and Kmean back. Further, there was a positive correlation between HbA1c and MLD, LD SD, CV, and CCT in patients with DM.

Conclusion: The results of our study demonstrate that poorly-controlled type 1 DM without DR affects the cornea, ACD, and LD based on anterior segment measurements taken with a Scheimpflug camera. CCT, CV, LD SD, and MLD values may be parameters that can be used to follow-up patients with type 1 DM.